Called in to be assigned mooring. Told wherever is free in outer four rows and to call in when . Joined by another boat two rows over while waiting for launch to come get money. Told launch about other new boat figuring I'd save him a another trip in and out and they just didn't have a chance to get on the horn. He went there next and got paid. I got dirty looks and a moon after he left and generator noise all night. Think good deeds rarely go unpunished but still sleep well when you always try to do the right thing.

Let's face it, we have all grabbed a dock or mooring sometime that wasn't ours,for a moment ......

If by moment, you mean to drop someone off or pick up, then I'm sure we have. But no longer than a moment. I've never squatted intentionally on another's property for the night or even to go for lunch and ducked the responsibility. I have made effort to pay for a public mooring where there was absolutely no one around and I had to leave. I have felt badly for that, but truly tried to find someone to pay. I have never stayed the night on a private mooring/dock, without permission.

If by moment, you mean to drop someone off or pick up, then I'm sure we have. But no longer than a moment. I've never squatted intentionally on another's property for the night or even to go for lunch and ducked the responsibility. I have made effort to pay for a public mooring where there was absolutely no one around and I had to leave. I have felt badly for that, but truly tried to find someone to pay. I have never stayed the night on a private mooring/dock, without permission.

That's what I mean. Pick up or drop off, or maybe an emergency or breakdown. Picked up a passenger at a fuel dock. Or docked at a public dock and walked around. I once moored at the wrong ball, but had paid. Anyway, I don't really want to make a major point there, just an offhand comment meant to contrast normal getting around with literally squatting at a resort hotel as a lifestyle. I have never used someone's dingy davit to raise my mast. :-)

So, on my original point about the article - “We especially enjoyed being anchored off fancy resorts that charged $500 a night. We paid zero and had a much better view, without noisy neighbors. During the day we would go ashore to these resorts, using our dinghy, and wander the grounds and enjoy the amenities for free.”

That struck me as really incredibly shady to live a life where you pull up at a resort hotel and use their amenities without at least going to the desk and offering to pay and getting permission. I can't imagine my wife and I doing that. It's stealing.

I mean , I just couldn't physically do it. My conscience would really bother me way to much.

Finding another dynamic is where you haul and get work done you can't or are not comfortable doing yourself. I'm still in the learning stage so learning by the saying "watch one, do one, teach one" as the best way to learn. Do it stateside in NE expensive but general done right. Do it south may be cheaper but watch every little thing. Do it in Caribbean highly variable and don't do anything unless you have spoken with friends/cruisers who have had exactly the same work done well and on time by that yard.

I have used unused mooring balls for stopping for a few hours for lunch and a swim and I have used them for overnight stays. I don't see it as a huge moral dilemma but then again perhaps I am morally bankrupt. I have never tried to tie up at a dock or a mooring for which fees are charged without paying though.

That's what I mean. Pick up or drop off, or maybe an emergency or breakdown. Picked up a passenger at a fuel dock. Or docked at a public dock and walked around. I once moored at the wrong ball, but had paid. Anyway, I don't really want to make a major point there, just an offhand comment meant to contrast normal getting around with literally squatting at a resort hotel as a lifestyle. I have never used someone's dingy davit to raise my mast. :-)

So, on my original point about the article - “We especially enjoyed being anchored off fancy resorts that charged $500 a night. We paid zero and had a much better view, without noisy neighbors. During the day we would go ashore to these resorts, using our dinghy, and wander the grounds and enjoy the amenities for free.”

That struck me as really incredibly shady to live a life where you pull up at a resort hotel and use their amenities without at least going to the desk and offering to pay and getting permission. I can't imagine my wife and I doing that. It's stealing.

I mean , I just couldn't physically do it. My conscience would really bother me way to much.

One of our favorite spots was in Los Hadas Mexico, the hotel where the movie "10" was filmed. Moorings were about 6 bucks a night and that included use of all the hotel amenities. Beautiful pool with white towels, drinks poolside and a reasonable BBQ evening and dancing. Most places we've come across are welcoming to yachties, have a drink, meal and the place is yours.

"One of our favorite spots was in Los Hadas Mexico, the hotel where the movie "10" was filmed. Moorings were about 6 bucks a night and that included use of all the hotel amenities. Beautiful pool with white towels, drinks poolside and a reasonable BBQ evening and dancing. Most places we've come across are welcoming to yachties, have a drink, meal and the place is yours". - aeventyr60

That sound so cool. One of the skills of any kind of traveling, is the ability to find friendly places to stop. I am probably violating some kind of forum rule but I will say it anyway - it's a "good principle" to basically to welcome strangers and to share what you have. No doubt there is a conflict between that and the mentality of always paying/always charging for everything and for too strenuously enforcing private property rights. Some will say that we have to survive and so pay us for everything, even a glass of water, but personally I like to see people being generous and friendly. Many waterfront owners who offer free hospitality end up doing very well financially as a result. Whether that is karma. or pay it forward, or some golden rule who cares, but it makes life more fun and we all know it when we see it and I like to patronize those places with our dollars when we can.

meanwhile the $3000/mo cruiser budget allows one to not resort to stealing

just to get back on thread maybe

I guess it depends on your lifestyle. I know lots of people who wouldn't even be funded for one fuel fill up on $3000 (I went salt water fishing on a giant twin diesel sport fisherman about 60 feet long last year and when we done, I was told my part of the fuel bill was $600. I paid it and said, "Please don't ever let me go fishing with you again".)

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